“Bad Girls Club”: the most lesbian show on television

Reality television has given us our share of queer women, but outside of a select few shows (Gimme Sugar, The Real L Word, Curl Girls), their sexuality isn’t discussed much beyond the occasional reference or joke. The standard treatment of lesbianism on reality television consists of a single episode following the lesbian housemate or contestant to a gay bar or on a date with another woman. But it’s rare that a show that isn’t focused on gay women would feature much lesbian sex or discussion of lesbian sexuality.

Enter Bad Girls Club: Miami.

Though the show has existed since 2006, and also featured a handfulof queer-identifying bad girls, the current season is the most lesbian show on television. One could argue that it’s not a difficult accomplishment right now, in today’s still quite straight programming landscape; but the 2010 Bad Girls Club house has shown sides of lesbian and bisexual relationships, friendships, sex and self-identity not depicted on a regular basis anywhere else on television. Though if you asked the Bad Girls about it, they might only admit to the sex part.

The premise of the show: A group of twentysomething women with penchants for partying and acting out are put together in a house to interact with one another. Unlike The Real World or other reality shows, they do not have jobs or any purpose other than to be filmed while trying to not kill each other.

This season’s queer women include Brandi, a lesbian "90 percent of the time." She’s a stripper who is proud to show off her skills whenever there’s a pole in the vicinity, and is prone to become angered easily, especially if alcohol is involved. Brandi has hooked up with two women while in Miami — a cop and a DJ — but she has a continued interest in her bisexual roommate, Lea.

Lea is a Miami native who is dating two men when she enters the house. That doesn’t stop her from having sex with her friend and another one of her roommates, Danielle, which makes Brandi very jealous and upset. Their relationship is rocky after Brandi angrily confronts Lea about choosing Danielle over her.

Late to the game is Christina, a 22-year-old from Staten Island with a girlfriend named Lauren who comes to visit her. Christina came to the house after a few other girls had chosen to leave (Danielle included).